Love Is A Four Letter Word
by babesrus2
Summary: Sequel to Married. Stephanie is standing on her own two feet. Can a successful business woman still have time for love? A Babe HEA
1. Chapter 1

**If you recognize the characters, they belong to JE**

**Fire**

Stephanie stood in front of the building. The flames were shooting at least 50 feet in the sky. She felt a heavy weight on her heart.

She had only been working at Kennedy Horse Accessories and Riding Attire for four months, but it felt like home. She had been working long hours updating the company and gradually turning it into an internet only business. At the same time, she was constantly on the road, participating in Open Houses and Exhibitions at Equine Conferences and Competitions.

She had been awakened by Eric on the phone at Rangeman. The security sensors had detected fire in the business and the automatic phone call had gone out to the Fire Department in Point Pleasant. By the time she had thrown on some clothes and raced to the scene, the entire strip mall was engulfed in flames. According to the Fire Chief, the fire had started in the bistro at one end of the building and spread quickly through the wooden structure. There had been no time to salvage anything.

Standing with a small knot of curious bystanders, Stephanie heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. She quickly checked the time on her cellphone. Yup, she wondered who was in the truck. Could it be Tank, Les, or another of the Merry Men she loved. A large hand rested on her shoulder. Tank's booming voice lowered by many decibels could be heard in her ear. "Are you OK, Little Girl? As soon as I heard I jumped into the truck and raced here." Stephanie sighed and unconsciously leaned into his large, strong chest. "Eric phoned me. I was at home sleeping. The Fire Chief says it started in the bistro."

Tank left her side for a minute. He walked over to the Fire Chief and held a brief conversation. He nodded a few times, and they shook hands. He strode back to Stephanie. Drawing her away from the inquiring gazes, he murmured softly. "Chief says that I can take you home. He will need to investigate tomorrow after it cools down. He will have an idea of the damage at that time. He thinks that the walls should collapse any minute. Not sure you want to be here for that."

Stephanie nodded. Suddenly she felt wobbly. Tank grabbed her and supported her as she recovered her balance. He walked her over to his truck. Binkie was standing by the front fender. He opened the passenger door of the Hummer and Tank guided her to the passenger seat. He nodded his head and Binkie went to Stephanie's car. Climbing into the driver's side he started the car. He would follow them to the house.

Stephanie leaned her head back against the headrest. She had been feeling tired lately. The long hours and constant travel were catching up with her. She had just returned from an Equine Competition in Kentucky. If there was a horse state, it would be Kentucky. She had spent the week before at an Exhibitor's Open House. Matthew Kennedy, the owner had met her there. They had spent long hours gaining more business, and more contacts. She had just returned that afternoon. Everything was still in her house. The laptop was safe. The contact list was uploaded. She had not even taken the time to check in at the office upon her return. Now, it appeared that there would be no office to check.

At 3 am, Stephanie did not feel the need to contact Matthew. There was nothing he could do anyway. She knew he was an early riser and she would phone him in a few hours. By then, she would have a more complete story from the Fire Chief.

Tank drove her the few blocks to her house. Binkie followed and pulled into the tiny driveway. He exited the car and waited. Tank had turned off his vehicle and come around. He opened the door. Taking Stephanie's arm gently, he escorted her to the porch. The door opened and they walked in. He noted that she had not taken the time to lock the door or alarm the house prior to her sudden departure. Silently he tut, tutted her. Nodding to Binkie to check that all was clear, he escorted her to the kitchen. Tank sat her down at the table and proceeded to start making some coffee. The smell seemed to revive Stephanie. Three sugars and a heavy handed amount of cream later, she sighed. She sat up straighter. Her hand reached for the cup of steamy brew again. Everyone in Rangeman knew how she liked it.

Binkie was standing in the doorway. He nodded to Tank and went out the door. He would wait outside. Tank sat down across from Stephanie. She was silent. He was silent. Finally, Tank spoke. "So, I guess you will have some decisions to make. I know that you have been very busy. It looks like you might be moving up the timetable sooner than you planned." Stephanie shrugged. If she took the time to think about it, it could move up sooner than later. They were just starting to get really busy. Trainers would soon be gearing up for the spring racing season. There would be no downtime for awhile.

Standing up, she walked over to Tank. Hugging him, she spoke. "Thanks, Tank. That was a long way to come to check on me. I need to talk to Matthew in a few hours. I need to check with the Fire Chief for the damage estimate. You are right. I can work from the house for awhile, but I have to make a decision soon. I have spent a large part of the past three months on the road. I'm really beat. I'm going to have to figure out where I go from here."

Tank stood up. He walked with her to the front door.

Tank gave her another hug. He kissed her on her forehead. As he walked out the door, he looked back. "Don't be a stranger. Lula really misses you. She's on bed rest now. The babies are tiring her out. You can come and stay at our house if you want, or you can stay on seven. "

Stephanie smiled tiredly. She was so pleased for Tank and Lula. They had been told over and over that Lula would never be able to have children after what Ramirez had done to her. They had just made the decision to adopt and were in the preliminary stages when she found out that she was pregnant. Lula was almost 40 and was having a difficult pregnancy. They had found out they were having twin boys. Tank was beside himself with happiness. He was now running the office at Rangeman and would not be going out on missions. Ranger had installed that rule for expectant fathers a number of years ago.

Tank mentally argued with himself. Should he tell her? Finally, he spoke. "I just spoke to Ranger. He hopes to be back soon. I get the impression that he is in-country undercover. Ram and Woody are with him."

Stephanie hugged Tank again. She certainly missed Ranger, but she had not had too much time to dwell on his absence. He had only given her a quick call before he had to leave. He was hoping that he would be back in less than six months. She asked Tank to pass on her wish that he remain safe and not get shot. Everyone knew that that was their secret phrase. So far, it had also been a good luck charm. Since Stephanie had started to pass on that remark, Ranger had never been injured again. It was like a good luck token.

Tank walked down the path. He waved at her again, and climbed into the Hummer. The truck pulled away and Stephanie closed the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Just borrowing them Janet**

The Damage

Stephanie sat at the kitchen table. She probably needed at least four more hours of sleep, but she had a lot to do. Her computer was laying on the kitchen table sitting open. She looked at the confirmed orders from the Open House. She looked at the new contacts on her list. She responded to some inquiries in her in-box. It had been a very good show.

She looked at her clock. She grabbed her keys, alarmed the house and walked out the door. She had to see the Fire Chief for an update on the building. Debating whether to drive down the street toward what used to be the business, her car unconsciously turned toward the smoking mess. She stopped a few car lengths down and stared.

Yellow hazard tape was strung entirely around the remains. The walls on the structure had collapsed. There were smoking timbers laying haphazardly on the concrete, the sidewalk and some were jutting into the street. Looking over the mess, she noticed a refrigerator still standing upright where the bistro used to be. The oven looked charred. The women's wear shop next door was completely destroyed with nothing standing taller than an overturned mannequin stand. Stephanie's office fared no better. She could see a blackened desk chair, a grimy metal cabinet and part of her desk missing two legs leaning on the grubby floor. Her monitor and keyboard were melted together laying on its side.

Stephanie took out her camera and started to take pictures. She would need them to email to Matthew. He was back at home and would have to make the decision whether or not to rush here. Climbing back into her car, she drove to the Fire Station. The men were just completing rolling up the hoses, and scrubbing down the truck. One of the men pointed to the Chief's office. Stephanie walked to the door and knocked softly. He looked up and waved.

Stephanie came in. She was motioned to a chair. Gratefully she sunk down. She felt just about how Robert Bradshaw looked. He was sitting behind his desk. He was still wearing part of his turnout gear. Black smudges were under his eyes. He leaned on his desk, surrounded by paper. There was a bottle of Gatorade by his elbow and an empty bottle in the garbage. Robert signed the paper. He gathered up the sheets and tapped them gently on the desk top then slid them into a file folder. He put the folder beside him and looked at her. "Pretty cut and dried, Steph. It started in the bistro. Looks like an electrical problem. We got the first call from your security company and were on site in four minutes. It was completely involved at the time so we could only watch it burn and keep it from spreading to the structures around it. I estimate that there will be about three million dollars damage to the building. Good thing you didn't have much product in the back anymore or it would have been much worse."

Stephanie nodded. "I am phoning Matthew shortly. Can I get a copy of the report for his insurance agent? Robert nodded and flipped up his laptop. He pressed some keys and paper started to stream out of the printer beside him. Signing it and putting the sheets in another file folder, he handed it to her.

"Got any idea what you are going to do now that the office is gone? I guess there is no reason for you to stay here now. Are you looking at returning to Trenton?" Robert was asking out loud the questions that Stephanie was wrestling with herself. She really loved her little house. It was waterfront property and she would stroll up and down the beach whenever she could. It was a very relaxing place. At the same time, being so far away from a major city was starting to cause a problem.

"I guess I will have to talk to Matthew about that too. Really there is no reason for me to stay, but I really love the house. I wonder if he would consider selling it to me. I could use it as a retreat to get away. I love the community here."

Robert laughed. "And let's not mention that you are the best customer at my wife's bakery!"

Stephanie blushed. Robert's wife, Betty made the best pastries, maybe better than Tasty Pastry in Trenton. Most days she was in town started with a stop in the shop for something fresh out of the oven. Pastry in hand, she would wander down the street for a cup of coffee at the bistro. Jenny had told her that she had Stephanie's timetable down pat and knew that two minutes from the time she would be stepping out of the bakery, she would be in her bistro for her coffee. Jenny would have her coffee ready to go, mixed perfectly and already lid on.

There was something about a small community that Stephanie had grown to love. She loved Trenton, but the kindness of her neighbors and friends was something she had grown to appreciate.

Thanking him for all that he and his men had done, Stephanie stood up. She would bring the men a large box of donuts as thanks. They were all volunteers except for the Fire Chief. They put their lives in harm's way every time they went on a call. They were very much like her Merry Men. One never knew what the day would bring. She sent a silent prayer skyward asking that Rangeman and the fire brigade have a safe day.

She climbed back into her car and headed home. It was time to call Matthew.

He picked up on the first ring. Sighing, Stephanie gave the bad news. There was silence on the line. That building had been in Matthew's family for many, many years and to hear that it was all gone so quickly took a few moments to digest the bad news. To his credit, he asked if anybody had been injured fighting the fire and Stephanie was quick to allay his fears. Property was property, but a life was irreplaceable.

Matthew promised to let her know when he would come and view the damage but he needed to contact his insurance agent immediately. He would also contact the other tenants. They would have to reassess the whole residency question then. Thanking her for letting him know as soon as she did he hung up.

Stephanie's next call was to her parents. She assured them she was fine and would let them know when she was planning on travelling the next time to Trenton. She loved her family, but the distance between them was refreshing. The Burg grapevine was out of range and her name and some disaster had not been the object of gossip for months.

Stephanie sat at the kitchen table. It had always been and continued to be a favorite place to work. She had a fancy roll top desk in the living room, but found it more comfortable to work in the kitchen. She pulled the laptop to herself and turned it on. Looking over the results from her last trip, she smiled. When she and Matthew did meet, she was confident that the company would not miss a beat with the loss of the office. Technology today allowed an office to be situated anywhere, even on a bench in a park.

Her mind was not on business so she shut it down. Her thoughts turned to Lula. She was so pleased for Tank and Lula. They had made the leap of faith and had been married eight months ago. She had been Lula's sole attendant and Ranger had been Tank's. Neither of them were into a large ceremony, so they had a quiet wedding in Las Vegas and then went for supper. It had been a beautiful ceremony. Lula was glowing with happiness. Tank was as nervous a groom as any man she had ever seen married. Ranger had had to support his friend both verbally and physically. For such a large man, he was so tender with his kiss when the declaration came that they were husband and wife. They had flown to the Bahamas for their two week honeymoon. Nobody had known that they had already started the process of adopting a child.

Lula had quit at Vinnie's Bail Bonds. She said that it was no fun if Skinny White Girl wasn't there. She had taken a job as a library assistant in the local high school. Her clothing choices changed, but was still uniquely Lula. She found out she was pregnant while Stephanie was working at Promises Riding Academy. Since she was classed as high risk, she had had to leave her job. Now, Tank mentioned that she was on bed rest. Stephanie decided to give her a call. She might want a friend to visit for awhile and she could take Tank up on his offer of a place to stay. They had a large house on a secluded lot. It would be the perfect place for a growing family.


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own them, Janet does**

A Place to Stay

Lula answered the phone after only two rings. "Hey, Skinny White Girl. How you been?" Stephanie giggled. Only Lula would put it like that. Obviously there was nothing going on with the Burg grapevine. The news of her business office going up in smoke must not have made the trip yet. Time would tell if it was newsworthy.

Stephanie launched into her activities. Lula wanted to know all the exciting places Stephanie had been travelling to. She hoped that she was not dropping a bomb on Lula asking for a room for a couple of days.

There was a high pitched scream over the phone. Stephanie had to hold the cellphone away from her ear while she waited for Lula to quiet down. "You get your white ass up here as fast as your car can go. I am going crazy here, just laying around on my back all day. My Tankie hired a housekeeper and between you and me, she acts more like a prison guard than housekeeping help. I can't get up to do nothing but go to the bathroom!" Lula harrumphed.

Stephanie confirmed that she would be there later in the day. She had a couple of errands to do first. Saying goodbye, she closed her phone. Visiting with Lula would certainly raise her spirits, and she could be counted on to help her make some decisions. Lula was learning to keep her mouth shut now that she had stopped working at Vinnie's. Stephanie suspected that when Connie and Lula got together, trouble happened, so no Connie, no trouble, right?

Packing a small bag, she prepared to leave. Unfortunately, her constant living companion, Rex had passed away a month before. He was young in her mind, only four, but in hamster years, he was a centurion. She missed him deeply. He would listen as she replayed her day's activities. He commiserated on her disasters and he encouraged her when she was wanting to expand. He was a quiet cheerleader, never judging, always encouraging. She had thought about replacing him, but her travel schedule was such now that it would not be fair to have a pet at this time. Looking around her little home, she prepared to leave once again.

The drive into Trenton was peaceful, or as much as it would be on the freeway. First, she needed to stop in at Rangeman. Tank had left a phone message that he wanted to talk to her there. She wondered what he wanted. He had not elaborated on the phone but he didn't seem agitated. Tank rarely sounded anything but the picture of calm, cool and collected. She was unsure if she ever wanted to see him any other way.

Pulling up to the gate she waited patiently. She had refused to accept another key fob from Ranger or Tank. Instead, the two other times she had come, the gate had opened and she would drive in. The elevator would be waiting for her and head right to five. Once again, she waited as the gate slowly raised. The parking spot she used to call hers was open and she scooted into it and parked. Right on schedule, the elevator dinged and opened. She stepped in. The elevator rose quietly and opened on five. Stepping out, she noticed that most of the cubicles were occupied. Most of the men she knew and she gave a small hand wave.

There were some new employees who were unfamiliar to her. They tried not to openly stare at her. One of them rose to his feet. Hal saw the movement and called out. "Spike, this is the Bomber. She is to be treated like a Rangeman employee." Spike nodded and resumed his seat. Stephanie walked up to Hal and gave him a hug. "Hi, Hal, is Tank in?" Hal nodded his head toward the office. She smiled and greeted any and all she knew as she headed to his door. Knocking softly, she waited for his command. "Enter", came a deep bellow. Stephanie opened the door and peeked in. Tank was rising out of his chair and coming around the desk. He gave her a big bear hug, and closed the door behind her. Motioning her to a seat, he walked around and sat at his desk.

"You needed to see me, Tank?" came the query. Tank nodded. He sat back, and stepled his fingers. He looked tired. He had to assume so many more duties when Ranger took off, and with Lula at home now the responsibilities were weighing on his mind.

"Thanks for coming, Little Girl. I was hoping you would drop in before heading to the house. I need to talk to you about Lula." Stephanie inwardly shuddered. The way he said it didn't sound good. "Okay, I will do what I can," she said. She braced herself. Hoping that it was not something medically troubling, she tried to put on her blank face. Tank laughed. "You will never perfect that, so don't even try. It's not bad, I assure you. I want to have a surprise baby shower for Lula and I need your help. She is not to get up and she is going stir crazy. Can you think of some way she can have something fun with all the restrictions she is on?"

Stephanie smiled. She had been thinking of just that thing on the way into town. She even had a few ideas. Smiling, she relayed her thoughts to Tank. He smiled. "I'll start getting it all together. Let me know when you want to have it. Invite anyone you want. I am not as security conscious as Ranger about not letting anybody know where I live. Rangeman will provide security for the party. Send me the bills."

Stephanie shook her head. "OK, you can provide security, but you are not getting the bills. She has done so much for me, it is the least I can do. I am so excited for you both. I cannot wait to see those beautiful boys when they are born. Just don't expect me to babysit!" She shuddered at the nightmarish thought.

Tank laughed. She and Ranger had both said the same thing. By the time the boys were eighteen, he vowed that they would have babysat them numerous times, changed diapers, and even gone on outings with them. It was a mission he was not planning on failing.

Still smiling, Stephanie stood up to leave. Tank held up his hand.

"I talked to Ranger today. There has been a set-back. He might be coming to Trenton to bounce something off me in the next couple of days. He will be in disguise. If he can, do you want to see him too?

I had to think about it.


	4. Chapter 4

**I know they are yours, Janet**

Lula Time

Stephanie parked her car on the driveway. She got out and smiled. The new house really suited Tank and Lula. It was big. It was bold. Best of all, it was breathtaking. There were the usual security measures that Tank would insist on. As he had said, he was a little more agreeable to friends knowing where they lived.

He was proud of his safety measures. Best of all, he was not afraid to let people in his personal kingdom. Whereas Ranger guarded his personal residence jealously, Tank was openly proud to show his off.

Few people knew that Ranger's own personal property was just down the road. Stephanie had been there only once. She still laughed whenever she thought of the time she was there. Ranger had joked that the Batcave was forever. Well, she had been in the Batcave and so far she had not observed very much of forever.

In fact, he had completely backed off after their luncheon at Pino's and helping her to move so many months ago. He was taking his marriage vows to Rangeman seriously, it appeared.

Tank had given her a code to the security gate. She walked up the pathway to the door and rang the bell. A middle aged lady answered the door. Introducing herself Stephanie was ushered into the foyer. She waited while Delilah announced Stephanie to Lula. She returned and led her to the master bedroom.

Plopped on pillows, Lula smiled. "You came, Skinny Girl. I was going out of my mind. I can't do nothing but go to the bathroom." Almost seven months along and Lula was already huge. She was a big woman but the exercise ball masquerading as her stomach was big and very round.

Stephanie walked to the side of the bed and leaned over to give her a hug. She missed Lula the most. Lula would tell it like it was, and sometimes Stephanie longed to be back with her as her sometime partner. Looking back they had had a lot of fun.

Sitting on the bed, she leaned back against the massive headboard. They gossiped, they laughed, they reminisced. Gone were the days of coming home covered in something suspicious and slimy. They both shuddered at the vision. Lula asked how long she could stay. Stephanie could tell the days were dragging. Being bed bound, tv soon became boring. Lula had never been a reader. She really had few friends outside the ho community.

Stephanie commented that since she had no office to call her own anymore, maybe she could bunk in with them and pull up somewhere to use her laptop. Lula beamed. "Can you work in here? I could help you with brainstorming. I am good at that. Besides you need to get a new line of clothing going, and I'm just the right person to help you." Stephanie nodded her head, but internally shuddered inside. She really didn't think the equestrian world was quite ready for a Lula fashion just yet.

Grabbing her computer, Stephanie opened it to her new clothing ideas. Explaining her reasoning behind each outfit, she waited for Lula's response. Surprisingly, Lula suggested some new thoughts. Stephanie looked at the outfits with her ideas and smiled. She had started to incorporate some of her own ideas in riding fashion. Her neighbor in Point Pleasant had sown the outfits. Stephanie was hoping that someday she would have enough that she could start to fully advertise her line.

Lula had suggested that when it came to modelling them, the children's clothes would look great on Mary Alice for sure and possibly Angie, if she wanted to. Angie was very allergic to horses, so they would have to schedule her, if Val agreed, to places where there were no animals. Stephanie made a note to call Val and bounce it off her before she approached the girls.

Time passed. Lula took naps and Stephanie moved around the house. Her brow furrowed. She still needed to see her parents. She wanted to see Ranger, but then again, she didn't. How screwy was that.

It had taken her some time to realize the pedestal she had put Ranger on. He wasn't a superhero. He was a man. He was an amazing, handsome, articulate, man of action. But he was a man. She thought back to all the times he had obviously dropped everything to help her. She realized that she needed to put on her big girl panties and acknowledge that if she wanted to have him in her life, she would have to first of all get her life on track. Maybe this job was giving her a better perspective.

Stephanie was sitting on the couch in the living room when Tank walked in. He smiled and came over to her. Kissing her gently on the cheek, he told her how happy he was that she was there spending time with Lula.

He had already talked to Lula on the phone and she sounded so much happier. Telling her that he would be down in a little bit, he headed off to the bedroom to see his wife. He had left the door open and Stephanie could hear the happy sounds of two people in love greeting each other after being apart for some time.

The housekeeper came into the room. Asking Stephanie when she thought they might like supper, she nodded and left the room. She would set out the meal and have it delivered up to the bedroom so that Lula, Tank and Stephanie could eat together. Stephanie put away her laptop. Work could wait. She wanted to visit with her two friends.

Sometime later, sitting on a chair in their bedroom, Stephanie finished her delicious meal. Tank and Lula were on the bed eating off trays. Lula was laughing at an inside joke Tank had whispered in her ear. He put his massive hand on her extended belly and smiled. He would make an awesome daddy. Stephanie had seen the nursery. Lula and Tank had been picking out furniture and accessories over the internet and the stuff was now being delivered. Thank goodness it was a massive room. Two of everything takes up a lot of room.

Stephanie wondered if they had picked any names yet. She hoped that they would not release the names until the birth. Becoming parents was such a personal affair and not revealing the names for the boys added to the mystery. Gone were the days when the sex of the baby was a secret up until the birth itself, so keeping the names secret seemed appropriate.

Taking leave of the happy couple, Stephanie moved to her own room. She had a lot of work to do. There was another Open House booked for next week and she needed to ensure that all the preparations were under control.

Settling into her work mode, she didn't hear Tank until he was standing by her. Jumping slightly, she blushed and looked up. He smiled. Motioning him to a seat at the desk, she put her computer lid down. "Tank, I am so pleased for you both. Lula looks great. She is so excited to be carrying the babies. I know that this is a dream come true for both of you." Tank smiled.

He took her hand in his. Oh, Oh, this usually meant something serious. "Ranger is meeting with me tomorrow at a restaurant. Did you want to come later and see him? I cannot promise how much time he has but I know that he had to leave very suddenly after the call. I think that's the part he hates the most. He is not given time to do anything before he leaves. Sometimes, they have shown up at Rangeman and even I don't get to say bye."

Stephanie nodded. "I understand, Tank. His life really isn't his own until the latest contract ends. I would like to meet him, but I know that if he is coming, something is off. I won't intrude. I can be in the area and if there is time, call me and I will get there. If not, I understand."

Tank stood up. He clapped his hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. Then he left the room. She got up off the chair and quietly closed her door. She could feel the tears start to fall. She hoped that she had portrayed strength, but suspected that Tank saw through the facade. In spite of everything that had and was going on, she still loved him deeply. Stephanie just wasn't sure how much more she could take before she had to make a decision whether to stay and take what he was capable of giving, or leave and risk losing her very best friend.

Changing quickly, she crawled into bed and hugging the spare pillow, cried herself to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**If you recognize them, they belong to Janet**

Tank Talk

Stephanie woke up feeling edgy. Climbing into her work out clothes she headed to the basement where Tank had a personal gym set up. He was already there. Feigning shock at the sight of her, he smiled.

Quickly stretching, she jumped on the treadmill. Forty minutes later, Stephanie turned off the machine. She was covered in a light sheen of sweat. Tank was just completing a rotation with abdominal curls. He went to a bar fridge in the corner and pulled out two bottles of water. Flipping one to Stephanie, he sat down on a mat. She joined him. "Not a place I'm used to seeing you in, Little Girl," taunted Tank. "I thought you would still be sleeping for three or four more hours."

Stephanie laughed. "I have spent so much time in hotels lately, I have forced myself to go to the gyms they provide. I need to clear my head from all the meetings, and Open Houses. But, for Pete's sake, don't tell anyone you saw me doing this. I would never hear the end of it!"

Tank laughed his deep chuckle. "Your secret is safe with me. You can use it anytime. Lula has never been down here. I don't even think that she knows where it is." They leaned against each other. Tank finally spoke. "You seem to be doing really well, Steph. I notice that you are carrying yourself with more of an air of confidence than I have ever seen you. Getting out of the bounty hunter business has been good for you. You needed to test your wings and find something you wanted to do, not what you needed to do."

Stephanie nodded her head. "I cannot believe how much fun it is, Tank. I fall into bed almost every night exhausted, but it is good. I feel that I am accomplishing something. I enjoy working with potential customers. I always liked to talk anyway, so that part isn't difficult. I have learned not to push, but wait for someone to need guiding. I have met a whole group of awesome trainers, owners and even big time celebrities. Our name is getting out more and more. Matthew did a good job, but he never envisioned doing the business from a remote location. I guess that is where I came in."

She continued. "He has actually broached the subject of me either buying into the company, or buying the company. He and his wife want to travel and up until now have been tied to the office. It would be a serious financial and time commitment. There are so many things to consider. I love living at Point Pleasant, but the time to get there and back to hop on planes is getting to be a bit much for me. I am toying with having him throw in the house as part of the purchase if I go ahead. I could use it for a retreat to get away."

Tank considered her remarks. He also had a business degree and could see the untapped value in her work. Times were changing and the old stand alone store with supplies proudly being shown on the walls were rapidly disappearing. Now, more and more people were shopping online. He and Lula were good examples. With her on bed rest, they had shopped for everything they thought they would need for the babies online. It was now just being delivered.

Lula was now looking for a nanny. There were a number of employment agencies who came highly recommended. Tank would be doing his own security checks when the time came. Realistically, with twins they would need the help. Neither of them had any family to lean on. Their friends were lining up volunteering their time. Well, some of them were. Stephanie and Ranger were such a pair. They were sitting on their hands so hard, Tank could almost see butt cheek marks on them. It was almost funny.

Standing up, Tank pulled Stephanie to her feet. They headed upstairs for showers. Lula was still sleeping when Stephanie checked in on her. She left her a note saying she would be back later and let herself out. Delilah had been advised that she would not be there for lunch.

Driving to her parents house, Stephanie pondered her next move. It was still early enough that her mom might still be willing to make her breakfast. She longed for pancakes. Her mom made the best ones, full of little chocolate chips, and when smothered with butter and syrup, well, nothing looked or tasted better.

Some kind of parent karma was in effect because as she drove up, Helen was at the front door waiting. Hugging her, Stephanie stepped into the kitchen. Her dad was just preparing to leave for some cab pick-ups. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and wished her a good day. Her dad was a man of few words. He would be there if she needed him, but for the day to day activities, he was basically absent.

Sitting at the kitchen table, Stephanie was overjoyed that her mom had sensed her need and pancakes were sitting waiting for her. Quickly preparing them to eat, she glanced at her mom. Helen had been taking some classes at the Community College. She looked like she was happy with the world. The phone had not rung since Stephanie had stepped in the door. Normally, by now, the phone would have worn out its ringer confirming Stephanie was back in town, or with some other reason to snoop and pass on gossip.

Helen grabbed another cup of coffee and sat down. She asked her how her job was, where she was travelling to and had she met any nice men. Stephanie sighed. Her mom would never quit in her quest to marry off her youngest. Now that Stephanie had finally convinced her that she and Joe were no longer together, her mom was on the lookout for someone to take his place. Stephanie had heard that Joe was dating a school secretary and they were pretty serious. She was expecting an announcement of their engagement any day.

Quickly filling her in on her travels and soon to be new travelling schedule, she noted that now she was doing lots of leg work looking for more contacts, and setting up times for Open Houses. Feeling satisfied that she might have delayed the subject of men for some time, Stephanie prepared to leave.

Quickly, she checked her bag for all her necessary business cards, and her laptop. She stood up to leave. Helen had started to wash the dishes, but turned around with her dishcloth in her hands. "Supper is at 6. We are having roast chicken, and for dessert, pineapple upside-down cake." Normally Stephanie would be drawn like a moth to a flame on that remark, but she was wise to that trick after many years. "I will have to get back to you mom. I have some business to take care of and I don't have a timetable right now. "

Walking Stephanie to the door, her mom gave her a hug. Walking down the sidewalk, she waved at Mrs. Feeney across the street, and Mrs. Johnston, two doors over. She climbed into her car. Just then, her phone rang.


	6. Chapter 6

**If you recognize them, they belong to Janet**

The Meeting

Flipping open the phone, Stephanie said hello. Tank's booming voice came over the line. "I have a meeting with someone. Can you go to the place where you met so long ago in about an hour?" Stephanie knew where he meant. She also knew that no names were given for a reason. Since Ranger was undercover, he should not even be there, so safety and caution were uppermost in all their minds. "Yes, I can be there. Should I go in, or wait outside?" Tank mumbled to someone then spoke into the phone. "You can come in. My business shouldn't take too long." Tank hung up. Stephanie was left listening to a dial tone. She quickly checked her watch. She had one errand to do before the meeting. Quickly she drove away.

Almost to the minute, one hour later, she pulled into an open parking space by the diner. Checking her appearance, and adding another coat of mascara for courage, she prepared to get out of the car. As she put her hand on the diner doorknob, she noticed a couple of homeless men lounging around the entrance. Feeling some coins in her pocket, she bent down to place them into the hat. With her back to the street, she murmured quietly, "Nice to see you guys, be safe." Ram and Woody blinked. She winked and walked in.

Trying to act casual, she strolled down the length of the diner to the back. Both men stood up as she approached. Tank and his companion were sitting at the back of the diner. Tank was in blue jeans and a button down shirt. The other person looked like an aging rock star. His hair hung in long ringlets. He was sporting a mustache and beard. He was wearing a shirt partly open down the front with lots of gold necklaces. His jeans were molded to his body in all the right places. He had sunglasses covering his eyes. He had a guitar case leaning against one of the empty chairs. Stephanie's steps faltered. He was still the most handsome man she had ever met. His cover matched him perfectly.

She longed to give him a kiss and hold on to him as long as she could, but she had to remain cool. It took every ounce of her resolve to pretend this was another distraction. His life might well depend on it. Taking a chair that they offered, Stephanie sat down. She put her hands in her lap so as to not appear nervous. In a voice she barely recognized, Ranger spoke. "Hi, chicky, names Hiram Mitchell, but you can call me Hi." She took the hand he offered and shook it. "Pleased to meet you, Hi. My name is Stephanie Plum."

Tank stood up to leave. As he turned to go, he said in his loud voice, "I'll let you two get acquainted. I think you have some business you need to discuss. See you later, Hi." They shook hands and Tank walked to the door and left. He too stooped and dropped some coins in the hats of the men outside.

Stephanie looked at Ranger. He looked tired. He looked like he did when he came home from a mission. Ranger/Hi spoke. "Chickie, I need someone to help me plan my new schedule for my road dates. My other girl quit in a huff. I can't do my job and her job at the same time. I am on the road now and trying to set up some dates. I plan on being in Kentucky for the next month. I need someone who can travel ahead of me and book bars and nightclubs. It's not a lot of work, but I need someone with a good grasp of computers who likes to be on the road. I can pay you a percentage of my gate. You get full expenses on the road and a rental car. I need you to start immediately. I have this and next week partially booked and then I have no dates planned."

He looked at her. She was sitting there stunned. Stephanie knew that he was perfectly capable of setting up his own dates. Something must have happened. Pulling her thoughts together, she said, "Well, Hi, I do like to travel and I am heading that way later this week. I could work on your schedule but it would have to be part time only. Do I need to be there when you perform or am I like a silent partner?" Hi/Ranger shrugged. "Chickie, I was hoping that you could be there some of the time, but if not, we can always talk by phone and you can send me a list of my bookings."

Stephanie was really confused. It sounded like he needed her for eye candy for some of the time, but a lot of the time she was free to work on her own projects. Making a quick decision, she smiled, and shook his hand. "You have a deal, Hi. I await your contract. You can send it to me at this address. It has been a pleasure to meet you." With that, she opened her purse and pulled out a business card. Taking his pen, she put Tank's address on the card. Giving him the card, and standing, she put out her hand. Hi/Ranger shook it. She started to walk away. "Oh, by the way, I will need your bio and your genre. No sense booking you into an alternative nightclub, if you are country. Wouldn't go well at all, would it?" With that, she walked to the door and left.

Climbing into her car, she pretended to take a call on her cell. She observed Hi/Ranger walk out of the diner and climb into a loaded, tricked out 4 x 4. She also observed Woody and Ram leave their places by the door and climb into a very nondescript Chev Cobalt. They both left the scene. Just then the phone rang. It was a blocked number. She opened it up and Ranger was on the line. "Proud of you Babe. I need you. It will fit right in with your travels and I plan on keeping you safe. Go to Rangeman. Tank has all the details." Ranger hung up. There was no good-bye. Stephanie groused a bit that she hadn't been able to speak a word.

Pulling out, she drove in a meandering manner, finally winding up at Rangeman. Once again, the garage door lifted and she drove in. Tank was waiting at the elevator. He escorted her up to his office and closed the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**Janet, I'm just borrowing them, but if you lose a couple for, say a month, check my house.**

The Mission

Tank motioned Stephanie to a chair. She sat nervously. He pulled out a file folder and handed it to her. Motioning her to read it, he leaned back. Stephanie pursed her lips. This was certainly something she had never had any experience with. Settling back, she opened the file and started to read. Her hands clenched the pages a number of times. She shook her head. She scrunched her face and sShe grimaced. Finally, she sighed and put the file down on the desk.

Stephanie leaned back. It was worse than she had ever envisioned. Ranger was in a really difficult situation. She looked up at Tank. "I can't believe how you guys do this. I would be a nervous wreck by the end."

Tank nodded his head. "Obviously, nothing leaves this office. I have already cleared your participation with the FBI. Your mission is to assist Ranger however you can.

Woody and Ram have their own objectives. God only knows why they let him out on bail after the first attack. He is a very dangerous individual. Not just victims have died. I want you to be very vigilant from now on."

Tank opened a drawer in his desk and brought out a gun. Stephanie could see that it was her Glock that she had handed back so many months before. He pushed it toward her. She leaned back, distancing herself from the weapon. Tank frowned. He would never understand her revulsion of guns. Stephanie shook her head. "I'm not taking it, Tank. I don't want to have it. I am travelling too much to need to worry about carrying it." Tank sighed. He suspected that she would say that. Shaking his head, he took the weapon and put it back in his drawer. He had tried.

He had also tried to convince Ranger that she would refuse. Tank looked at Stephanie. He had his deadly serious look on. "From now on, you need to divest yourself from Rangeman, just in case someone figures out the connection. I know you wanted to stay at our place, and Lula will be devastated, but we need to get you out of here. Can you meet with Matthew any earlier and make it look like you need to leave sooner?"

Stephanie immediately opened her phone. Matthew picked up immediately. "Hi, Matthew. I was wondering when you are planning on coming to see the damage. I want to head to Kentucky to start more ground work on the next show."

Tank could hear Matthew responding. "Right, I'll see you tomorrow. You can stay at the house. See you." With that, Stephanie closed her phone and looked at Tank. "I'll head to your house and break the news to Lula. I'll take off from there. "

Tank handed her a phone. "It's a burned phone. There are only two numbers programmed in it. One is Ranger. The other is Woody and Ram. This is the only communication that you have to contact them. Good luck, kiddo." With that, he rose from the desk and came around. He gave her a hug and escorted her to the elevator. The elevator door opened and she stepped in. Exiting swiftly, she climbed into her car. The garage gate opened and Stephanie drove out.

Stephanie drove to Tank and Lula's house. Ringing the doorbell she surprised Delilah with her appearance. Apologizing for arriving unannounced, Stephanie stated that some business had come up and she had to leave suddenly. No, she would not be staying for lunch.

Heading to the master bedroom, she could hear Lula on the phone. Knocking softly, she waited for Lula to acknowledge her presence then walked in. Lula quickly finished her conversation and hung up. Her eyes lit up. Then they grew sad.

Stephanie began. "Sorry Lula, but I have to go. Matthew is flying out to take a look at the damage and he is staying at the house. I am leaving right after that to head back to Kentucky. I have to do some more preliminary leg work before the next show. A glitch has come up and I need to be there to straighten it out. A phone call isn't going to fix it."

She came over and gave Lula a hug. Lula looked very sad at the news. Her very best friend had to leave and she would be alone again for the foreseeable future. Stephanie promised to return as soon as she could. At the door she looked back. "Now don't you dare have those babies before I get back. I want to be there for the birth, not in the room, mind you, but waiting with everyone else!" With that, she turned and went to her room and quickly packed.

She could hear Lula trying not to give in to her emotions, but feared that Tank would probably be coming home early to comfort his pregnant wife.

With her bag in hand, she walked down the stairs and out the door. She climbed into her car and drove away without a backward glance. Not being aware of her surroundings, she did not notice a black Explorer pull out and follow her to the edge of town. It turned off as she hit the freeway.

Stephanie put in her feel-good CD. Metallica boomed through the speakers. Today it was a case of the louder the better.

Marshalling her thoughts Stephanie began to plan how best to combine two jobs into one. Almost before she could acknowledge the time, she was pulling into her driveway. Unlocking and disabling the alarm in the home she stepped in. Up until now it had held a cozy and safe feeling. Now, it just seemed like a preliminary destination place.

Dropping her bag onto her bed, she headed for the kitchen table. Opening her laptop, she noticed an email. Quickly she worked through the passwords needed to open it. Ranger had sent her more information on his requirements for her.

He was in possession of her Open House schedules. She didn't even want to guess how he had managed that. He gave her a list of where he needed to be. He had included a bio for her use. He had also sent a selection of his work. Stephanie stood up and went to her coffee maker. She was going to sit and enjoy listening. It was a side of Ranger she had no idea of. Cup in hand, she pushed the play button. Ranger's strong, melodic voice came through the tiny speakers of the laptop. She sat, mesmerized by the composition. Everything she knew about him was captured in the sound. Strong, masculine, teasing, sexy, all those things she loved about him. Finally the last song ended.

Stephanie sat with tears in her eyes. This man had talent. She wondered what would have happened if he had been discovered and pursued a music career instead of the path he had taken. No telling where he would be now.

Channelling her thoughts, Stephanie began to compose an email. Trying to push out that it was Ranger she was writing to, she marshalled her thoughts with Hi in mind. She described the upcoming meeting with Matthew and her plan to leave for Kentucky immediately afterwards. She would be staying in a hotel near her first Open House. She would start working on his schedule immediately and forward a copy of his stage dates. She confirmed the requirements for the bookings and how many dates at each venue. She confirmed what his usual gate was and would forward any contracts to him. She wished him well on his next gig.

Chewing on a donut she had purchased on the way in, Stephanie carefully worded her next paragraph.

I never realized how intense your missions became. I could see the end result as you returned to your home. I will help you as much as I can. I trust your instincts that I can provide some assistance. My thoughts are with you as you work on completing your assignment. I think when this is over, we need to sit down and have an honest discussion about us. I cannot deny that I have some very intense feelings for you but at the same time, my heart cannot continue this charade. Steph.


	8. Chapter 8

Getting Started

Matthew knocked on her door the next morning. Stephanie had been up for hours. She had the file ready with the Fire Chief's report, and the pictures. He looked sadly at the charred remains of his office and then read carefully the report from the Fire Department. Sighing, Matthew closed the file and pushed it aside.

Getting down to work, they made some decisions about the next few weeks. Stephanie would fly out that night to Cincinnati then drive to Florence. There was a really large Open House booked for the following week at Turfway. Their fall and winter racing season was underway and they had arranged for a small kiosk.

Stephanie showed Matthew the new fashions she was working on. He looked at her appreciably. "Steph, I could never have done this nearly as well. I would scramble around for weeks, trying to get everything together. I just knew when I hired you that you would be the right person to take this company and expand it. I know that we have only talked preliminarily about where it is headed, but at this moment, and with the office gone, it seems to be the right time to broach it again. Would you even contemplate purchasing it from me? We could work out some agreement with respect to price, and turnover dates. Please say that you will or have been considering it."

Stephanie cleared her throat. "After very careful consideration, I would like to negotiate with you to purchase it. I have no interest in changing the name. I would also like to have this little house thrown into the price. I know it was your grandmother's, and you probably have some good feelings about it, but I have grown to really love it. If you are agreeable, and we can agree on a price, I would like to take this on."

Matthew smiled. He had put his heart and soul into running it after his father had passed it onto him. He recognized that it would never be handed down further as his children had no interest in continuing the business. He felt comfortable that Stephanie would continue to make the name even more attractive with her new and fresh ideas on the business end. Not often does one see a diamond in the rough come along, and Stephanie appeared to be one. Her fresh ideas, her business head, her ease dealing with the critical clientele, and her love of life shone through. People enjoyed interacting with her.

Promising to get back to her with what he thought would be a fair price, Matthew stood up. He had to make his own peace with the death of the business office. He wanted to stop in and thank the men at the Fire Department for their hard work. He wanted to visit with some old friends. He suspected that he would not be returning. He and his wife had a new home in Texas, Their children had been transferred there and they wanted to be near the family. They had grandchildren to spoil.

Giving her a hug, he walked to the door. As he stood in the doorway, he looked around the house one more time. Stephanie could see the myriad of emotions on his face. It had been a home filled with happiness. He turned around and walked to his car.

Muttering to herself, Stephanie quickly headed to the bedroom to pack once again. This time she would be away for an extended amount of time, up to a month. Quickly pulling down two suitcases, she started to pack. There were the obvious essentials, lingerie, casual, business, dressy, and formal wear. Sleepwear was more difficult. If she was cold, she would appreciate flannel from head to foot, but Ranger's t shirts that she had acquired some time ago also popped into her suitcase. Footwear was the next priority. Moving into her bathroom, Stephanie picked up her ready to go makeup bag, extra shampoo, hair products, and last but not least, her Bulgari shower gel. She just could not get rid of it and move to something else. Just the smell of it made her tingle in places not needing to right now. Next, on to outerwear. Winter was just starting to rear its ugly head.

Finally, all was packed and the bags stood by the door. She took one final look around. She had already called Rangeman and advised them that she would be on the road for quite some time. Lester had been on monitors and dutifully logged in the changes. Telling her to have a safe trip, he hung up. Stephanie wondered if they would ever learn the proper way to end a conversation. She hated hanging on the phone to a dead line.

Stephanie flew out of Newark to Cincinnati. She rented her car and drove to Florence. It was only a short drive and before she knew it, she was at her hotel. First on her agenda was to start setting up Ranger/Hi with his next round of shows. Checking carefully where he had already been, she started to make some phone calls. Checking back where he had had the most success both with singing and gaining his information, she formulated a plan for the next month.

He had already worked out the first two weeks and she had re-booked with a few nightclubs again. There were some new sites and she sent a bio to the business managers and a copy of the contracts to be signed. Then, as the confirmations came in she emailed Ranger with the updated schedule. Some of the venues were close enough that Stephanie hoped that she would be able to see him in action. It would make for a long night if she needed to be back to her own job, but the need to see him was overpowering.

Next, she dove into her own job. Confirming that the kiosk was equipped with all the electronics required for her sales pitch, she set about ordering the product needed to display. She was planning on having a fashion show of all the new spring fashions she was displaying and had already lined up a talent agency with different models to showcase her wares. She made sure that there would also be children as models. In her short sales experience, she was rapidly realizing that children were a real money maker. Christmas was right around the corner and there were a lot of children out there now riding horses. After any Olympics there was a real run on equestrian activities.

Nightfall came too quickly. Stephanie put down her take out Chinese food as her laptop dinged. She opened it up to an email. Quickly putting in all her security passwords, a note from Ranger came in.

'Proud of you Babe. I approve all the new locations. I hope that you will be able to attend a few of my shows. We can either meet before or after the show and I will fill you in on what I have and need to obtain. Obviously, time is of the essence and we feel that the threat is growing. Woody and Ram send their best wishes. I will make this up to you, Babe. All my love. R.

**Changing the rating next chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Just borrowing them Janet**

Ranger Drops In

Time moves so much quicker when you are very busy. Stephanie's Open House came and went. It had been very successful. She had more orders, more contacts, and more work to do. The line was coming together. The fashion show had been a smashing success. She had glimpsed Ranger in the audience. He had arrived and disappeared like smoke in the wind. She had felt the tingle in her neck. Looking around she spied his character in the back of the audience. She suspected that Ram and Woody were nearby. He did not approach her and she did not hunt him out.

Dropping her bag on the one of the beds at the hotel, she fell onto the other in exhaustion. She woke up suddenly to a soft knock on the door. Instantly awake and on alert, Stephanie peeked through the peephole in the door. Ranger stood waiting. Opening the door Stephanie stepped aside and he slipped quickly in and closed the door softly. She could only stand there, mouth opened at the sight. Ranger looked exhausted. His face had an unhealthy pallor to it. Stephanie couldn't believe the change.

She quickly reached for his hand and guided him to the empty bed. She pushed on his chest to sit down. He didn't struggle as she bent down and removed his cowboy boots. Next, she removed his hat, followed by his shirt. He looked at her. "Babe, any more and I will not be responsible for my actions." Stephanie smiled. Sidling up to him she stood between his legs. Putting her hands on his strong, muscular chest, she pushed hard. Ranger fell back onto the bed. He had not even realized that she had quickly changed and was wearing his shirt and panties. Unfortunately, he was too tired to appreciate the view right now. He slowly wriggled out of his pants. Stephanie climbed onto the bed. Climbing under the covers Ranger sighed and pulled her to him. Guiding him to her, she murmured in his ear. "Sleep Ranger. We will discuss everything in the morning." Ranger sighed. Stephanie lay with her head on his shoulder. She had her back to his front. Their breathing slowed and they slept.

Morning found Stephanie laying on top of Ranger. She woke up to him playing with one of her curls that was dangling precariously around his nipple. Seeing her eyes open, he gently pulled it, watching it stretch out then spring back. His other hand started to move, almost of its own violation. Stephanie shuddered. She had not been near Ranger for some time. He knew just which spot she responded to the most. His hand travelled further. A soft moan escaped her mouth. Ranger smiled. He continued on his quest. She could feel his erection pressing against her. Her nails raked down his chest. He in turned moaned a little. There was a flurry of movement and Stephanie found herself flipped over and Ranger on top. He looked in her eyes. She grasped him around the waist with her legs and pulled him to her. She matched him move for move. Finally sated, they fell back on the pillows, chests heaving. She was feeling quite boneless at the moment, but turned with enough energy to lay beside him, playing with his chest muscles with her fingers. Ranger's chest muscles twitched . He played his hand over her back, rubbing gently up and down.

Finally, having caught their breath, they moved together once again. This time, they made love slowly, savoring each other. It was a different experience this time. They knew each other's little spots of sensory overload, and used them for their partners pleasure. It was a shared experience. Once again, they lay completely tangled together. This time, they fell asleep in each others' arms.

Stephanie woke up to Ranger smiling at her. She smiled back. "Missed you, Batman." He chuckled and held her to him. "I have missed you so very much Babe. I am sorry that I couldn't see you before I left. They called and we were on the plane less than an hour later." Stephanie gently wriggled until she could sit up. She leaned against the headboard. Ranger moved and joined her. The sheet now lay dangerously low. Stephanie refused to look or there would be no more discussion for awhile. She'd take him again, only this time, she would be the aggressor. "Babe, I'd love you to drive, but I have to go soon. Unfortunately, we do need to do some planning." He climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. Stephanie licked her lips. That was one fine ass. Ranger smiled and looked back. He continued to the door of the bathroom. He left the door open, and she could hear the water turning on in the shower. Quickly jumping out of bed, she followed him into the shower. The meeting would wait.

Saving water, they showered together. Mind you, it was a long shower. Finally they emerged, feeling much better. Ranger quickly dressed in his discarded clothes while Stephanie had her hotel supplied robe on. She had attempted to work on her hair. Finally giving up, she put down the brush. Ranger was sitting at the table. She sat in the other chair. The breakfast she had ordered from Room Service had arrived. Ranger was eating his bagel with lox. She smothered cream cheese on hers. In between bites, they discussed what had happened, and what was in the works.

"Babe that's what we have now. We have been in five states. We seem to be one jump behind Gerry Keepner. Just as we get close to him, he moves on. So far, he has either raped or killed ten women. They are all loners, tall, blonde, and like to hang out at bars and nightclubs. He is working primarily in country settings so far. We know that he takes odd jobs during the day, and hangs out at night in different clubs. Woody and Ram have seen through a number of his disguises, but he managed to escape as they closed in. I am the distraction in the bars. We figure he is getting ready to strike again. He usually goes about two to three weeks between attacks.

Stephanie licked her fingers. Ranger's eyes took in every movement. He started to fidget. Ignoring him, Stephanie spoke. "Ranger, why are you three doing this? I thought that people like Morelli were brought in undercover to take care of scum like him."

Ranger mentally shook his thoughts back to the present. "Unfortunately, it seems he has a spidey sense like you do, but for law enforcement personnel. So far, he is suspected of killing three undercover agents, and a fourth is missing. They brought us in as we are new and have no ties to law enforcement. Unfortunately, we suspect that he is starting to get a read on Woody and Ram. I may need to switch them out if this goes much further."

Stephanie shuddered. She really did not want to be anywhere near this man. He sounded well and truly dangerous. Changing her focus, she mentally checked his schedule for that evening. Ranger would be performing in a small town not far from Florence. She was leaving tomorrow for her next destination.

Thinking quickly, she said, "Could I come and see you tonight? I really loved the music you sent me. I don't have to leave until check out tomorrow and it is a short drive to Lexington, my next stop-over. "

Ranger smiled a happy smile. "I'd love you to come, Babe. I will have them save you a table close to the front. Just say you are a guest of Hi and they will seat you. Ram and Woody will be near. Maybe we can have dinner after the show?"

Ranger stood up. He had to leave so that he could do his final sound check. He grabbed her and gave her a mind melting kiss. He whispered in her ear. "I miss you so much, Babe. I really appreciate you helping me out. I could have done it all, but I am having trouble concentrating on doing everything and still staying sharp to try to catch this guy. "

Stephanie had melted into him. "I am happy you thought of me, Ranger. I am in the area anyway and will help all I can. I need you guys to be safe. No heroics, please. He will be caught hopefully before he hurts anyone else. After this is over, we do need to talk, though."

Ranger nodded. He had to finish this mission first and then he could devote his time to showing Stephanie how he really felt. The thought of that damn ring in his safe bothered him to this day. He had handled the situation the only way he knew how to, but after being on the road and away from her for so long, he knew that if they ever had a chance to make something of their relationship, he would have to make the first move.

Giving her another kiss, this one full of promise, he stepped away, grabbed his guitar and walked to the door. Kissing her one more time lightly on the lips, he opened the door and slid through, closing the door quietly.

Deafening silence permeated the room. Stephanie stood still. She could feel his lips on hers. She remembered the feeling of laying safely in his arms, feeling protected and loved. Sighing, she collected herself and headed to the bathroom. She had a lot to do today and if she wanted to see his performance tonight, she better get to it.


	10. Chapter 10

Command Performance

Tank wondered how everything was going with Ranger. He had assigned Junior and Binkie to tail the Bomber out of town. Knowing that she was safely on her way, he began to relax. He had telephoned Lula and as he suspected, she was taking Stephanie's sudden departure hard. He assured her that he would try to be home early for supper.

Lula had been getting more and more withdrawn as her pregnancy continued. She was finding it very difficult to stay on bed rest. He knew that she was excited for the babies to arrive, and at the same time, was trying to do everything possible to keep them safe and inside her for as long as possible. Each day that she could delay their birth gave them a better chance at survival. At her last ultrasound, everything was normal and the babies were growing at a proper pace.

They had already chosen the names for the babies. The first one born would be named Thomas Ricardo and the second boy would be named James Pierre. Tank hoped that naming the first boy for his deceased father and his best friend, Ranger would honor them both. The second boy would be named after Lula's favorite actor and his first name, which Tank absolutely detested. Lula had insisted. Tank hoped that they would go by their initials, TR and JP. It sounded very manly.

He wondered how Stephanie was doing arranging a baby shower for Lula. He had hated to dump that on her with her very heavy schedule but seemed relieved that she had already thought of it and had made some preliminary plans. He would wait for her direction. He had heard stories of all those silly things women did at baby showers. He was already working on a shit list of employees who would be providing security for the event. This was not the time to piss off a daddy-to-be.

Stephanie typed out her progress report for Matthew. She gave a confirmed sales statement plus a new list of contacts in the Florence area. Turfway Racetrack was a huge establishment. They catered to the fall and winter racing schedule. Gone were the days of a four month racing season. Horses were being trained year round, but a longer racing season was a recent edition.

The crowds had been clamoring for more racing days for years and racetracks were scrambling to provide the sought after entertainment. She pressed send and prepared to leave to see Ranger/Hi's performance. Dressing carefully, she was just putting on her coat when her computer binged. She quickly opened it up thinking it might be Ranger with some last minute instructions. Instead, Matthew had already responded. He praised her on her sales tally. She sucked in her breath as she spied the next paragraph.

Matthew wrote that after discussing it with his wife, he was willing to sell the business, the little house on the waterfront and the name for $250,000. He was giving her a huge discount knowing all the work she had been putting in over the past number of months. He also stated that with the loss of the office, it could now completely turn into an internet business only. He went on to mention that in his and his wife's opinion, the fact that she was willing to take it on and run it with his name was a huge compliment and they were indebted to her for that gesture.

Matthew went on to say that the purchase price was not to be paid all at once. Instead, he hoped that she would accept making payments of $100,000/per year with the Kennedy's paying all the legal fees to transfer title. He asked her to speak with her financial advisor and get back to him. He did not put on a date to respond. Stephanie could only stare open mouthed at the kind gesture. She printed off the note and put it in her purse. If she had an opportunity, she wanted Ranger to see it. He had a phenomenal head for finance. She had seen him broker deals in the past. He was a tough negotiator. She valued his opinion.

Looking at the time, she left her hotel room and headed to her car. Programming in her GPS for Pinky's Bar, she took off. She hoped that it was not some titty bar. Her visit would be very short if it was. Stephanie's parking karma must have kicked in because there was an open spot right in front of the door. Climbing out she noticed that Ranger' was already in the lot and so was the nondescript Chev she had seen the guys getting into. She gave her name to the bouncer at the door and he motioned for her to enter. She found the hostess and also gave her name. She was led to a table front and centre by the stage. She asked for a Corona and looked around.

Pinky's Bar was certainly not what she had suspected. It was pink everywhere. The chairs were even pink. Looking around, she noticed a nice mixture of male and female patrons. It looked like a quiet place to come for a drink, and to socialize.

She was approached a few times by men asking if she would like to dance. She politely refused each time. Nobody made a fuss, but immediately moved on. It might have helped that anytime she was approached, there were a couple of male bouncers in the vicinity. She didn't acknowledge either of the men but admired Ram and Woody from hooded eyelids. They were dressed in pink spandex pants and a pink bow tie. They were bare chested and their muscles rippled suggestively. Stephanie wondered how they would react if she managed to get a photo of them.

All too soon, the lights dimmed and Ranger walked on stage. He was dressed in faded blue jeans that hugged his best assets. He wore a t-shirt that molded to his chest. He was wearing cowboy boots and his cowboy hat. He was carrying his acoustic guitar in one hand and a microphone in another. This was his third night on stage and he greeted his audience with the ease of being among friends. He pointed out some patrons who had obviously returned. He made mention that he was going to perform there for three more nights and if anyone had a special request, he would try to honor it.

Then he looked at Stephanie. His eyes softened, and his voice became quieter. "I'd like to acknowledge a very special lady in the audience tonight. The first time I met her, I knew that I wanted to be in her life. This song is dedicated to you." With that, Ranger began to sing. Stephanie was mesmerized. He had written a song to her. Her eyes glistened. She cupped her beer bottle in both hands. She never took her eyes off him. When the song ended, there was a loud round of applause. Their eyes never left each other. Finally, Ranger took his eyes away from Stephanie and looked around.

He grinned at the audience. He climbed down the stairs and approached Stephanie. Taking her hand in his, he pulled her to her feet. Turning her around to face the audience, he proudly announced that the song was for her. Stephanie blushed and gripped Ranger/Hi's hand harder. She reached up and gently kissed him on the mouth. The audience cheered and there were a few cat calls. A couple of patrons shouted for them to "get a room".

Ranger gave her another quick kiss. He released her hand and walked back on stage. He then proceeded to pour out song after song. He took a few breaks through the evening, and each time would head to Stephanie's table. She was mesmerized by his obvious talent. This was a side of this man she had never ever dreamed of. All she knew of him was his amazing skill in the field, and his head for business. This was a whole new side of him, and she liked it very much.

The evening drew to a close. She prepared to leave. She had to get back to the hotel and get ready to leave for another destination.

Ranger escorted her to the door. The bar was empty except for the employees cleaning up from the evening. Stephanie stopped, not wanting to leave just yet. "I never knew you had a voice like that. When did you compose that song for me? " she asked.

Ranger smiled. "It came to me one night on a mission. I was sitting on my bunk and all of a sudden, it just popped into my head. I couldn't find a pen and paper fast enough to get it down. I don't think I have made ten changes to that entire song." Stephanie leaned into him. "You are a man of many talents."

"Don't ever doubt it, Babe," came the rapid reply. He grinned. Then he grabbed her and hugged her to him. " I do love you. I have not shown you or told you that enough. I really do want to be in your life for as long as you will let me."

Stephanie was close to tears. This was not a good way to leave. She felt her emotions were going to betray her any moment. Taking a deep breath, she pulled away from him. "I do love you, Ranger. I would like to pursue something, but let's get this mission over first. I think we need to have a really good talk about where we want to go, and how we want to have each other in our lives. As I said, I am not really into marriage and kids and the picket fence but maybe there is some way we can have a Someday."

With that, she pulled the note from Matthew out of her purse. "Speaking of which, I want you to read this over. I think it is very generous, and I know you have a real head for business. What do you think?" Ranger instantly tensed up. He took the sheet from Stephanie and quickly read the note. Then, he re-read it again. He looked at her. He raised one eyebrow slightly. "This is a very generous offer, Babe. Are you sure you want to tackle this? It would mean a lot of travelling?" Stephanie nodded. "I really like what I am doing now. I love meeting people. I guess I can make it what I want, but there really is a market out there right now and I want to take it on. I am not sure how long I will do it, or even how long it works, but I would like to try."

Ranger looked at the sheet again. "Then I think you should go for it, Babe." If you want to use my financial advisor for another opinion, I can give you his number." Stephanie shook her head. "I think I already made up my mind. I was planning on writing him back in a day or so agreeing to the price. The house on the beach is worth that much alone."

Ranger looked at her. She was the most stunning person he had ever met in his life. She had an attitude that was intoxicating. She was bubbly, impulsive, erratic, sometimes conniving, but most of all full of life. He loved every part of her. He walked her to the employees entrance. He would drive her home and one of the men would follow and pick him up.

Stephanie looked at him. "What are you doing?" He smiled at her. "I'm going to drive you home. It is late and besides that, I can spend some more time with you." She shook her head no. "No you're not. You look exhausted. I am only a short distance away. You can walk me to my car. I will call you when I get to the hotel if you want, then you won't worry." Ranger shook his head no. "Babe, it's late out. I would feel better knowing that you are safely back in your room." He waggled his eyebrows at her. She pushed on his chest. "Ranger, you are exhausted. You know that we would have very little sleep if you followed me. I have to leave early in the morning. You know I am right." Ranger sighed. He knew that everything she said was very true, but the thought of letting her go and not knowing when he could see her again was almost overpowering.

Ranger grudgingly agreed. He walked her to her car. He opened the door and made sure she was safely inside. He kissed her again and watched as she buckled up her seatbelt and prepared to leave.

He was not aware of his surroundings and did not notice a man in a car watching them. His fists clenched and unclenched on the steering wheel. He had found his next victim.

**There is an awesome lady called Pinky Winters. She is very well known in the Jazz world. Pinky continues to perform and is featured in many concert settings. Pinky's Bar is in my imagination only. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Only borrowing them Janet, only for a little while**

Missing

Stephanie drove to her hotel. Her thoughts were on Ranger. They had both made some very telling admissions of their feelings for each other. Time would tell if they wanted to take it to another phase.

She pulled into her parking spot at the hotel. It was very late at night. She prepared to leave her car. Suddenly, the door was wrenched open. Stephanie had only a moment to scream. A man reached in and put a cloth over her face. She struggled for a minute then sagged. He pushed her over to the passenger side and climbed in. He started the car and headed out of the parking lot.

Stephanie woke with a blinding headache. Her hands and her feet were bound. She was laying on a mattress in a dark room. Trying to clear the cobwebs from her brain, she began to process her surroundings. She couldn't remember anything except that she had obviously been kidnapped. Boy, after getting out of the Bounty Hunter game, this was a complete surprise. Her spidey sense had dulled in the time she had been away.

She heard noises outside the door. Listening carefully, she started to process little things. They were near a train track; she could hear a train whistle. It appeared that the room she was in was small, not really a bedroom. There were shelves along the wall filled with jars. It was very cool in there, and she wondered if it was a cold room in an older home.

Her thoughts turned to Ranger. If they had been home, she was sure that Rangeman would have noticed her absence by now. She had removed all the trackers when she had left so many months ago and was relatively sure that they had not been replaced. It looked like she was on her own here.

Some time later, the door opened. The only light was from the other room. No light switches were turned on. A man came into the room. He was middle aged. He was tall and had a lean build. He was balding and carried himself arrogantly. He came over to her, being careful to stay away from her.

Her mouth took over by itself. "Let me go, asshole. If I get near you, you are in for a world of hurt." He laughed. "I am looking forward to getting to know you. I like feisty." With that, he put down the plastic tray of food in his hand and left the room. The door closed and locked. Stephanie sagged.

Ranger sat in his hotel room. He had phoned her hotel room. He had phoned her cell phone. He had a bad feeling. Taking into account for the drive back, and her sometime stops for food on the way, she was late, very late.

He picked up his phone. Swiftly he made two calls. Ram picked up. Swiftly explaining the situation, he said they were on it and would head for the hotel. They would call him back. The next call was more difficult. Tank answered. It was 0200 and even he sometimes slept. Ranger quickly explained what he suspected. Tank was already up. Ranger could hear the rustle of clothes. He promised to get back to him as soon as he could.

Ram called him first. Stephanie's car was not in the lot. The night attendant had not seen a person matching her description come into the hotel. In fact, he said nobody had come in.

Ram asked him for a list of the vehicle license plates for registered guests. He was being difficult. Ram produced his gun and he suddenly became more helpful. He handed the printed list to Ram. Ram walked out the door. The night clerk wondered if he should call the police or stay out of it. He went back to his ebook.

Dividing up the list Ram and Woody started to check cars. Finally, they came to a number not on the list. Walking around it carefully, they noticed on the floor some torn up cloth and a strange looking bottle. Woody made short work of the lock and they were in. Using gloves, they picked up the bottle. Yup. Chloroform . They phoned Ranger.

Meanwhile, Tank was at Rangeman. He brought up the tracker information. That little tracker that Tank had slipped into Stephanie's handbag was active. It was a new model and guaranteed longer reception. This was the first time it had been used. They had a very faint ping. It was on the very edge of all their equipment. They could not get an exact location, but it would be close.

Relaying the information to Ranger, Tank looked out the door. Greco, a new hire was on monitors with Cal. Tank told Cal to get Bobby and Lester up to his office. He was on the phone to Boston. They were still in possession of the plane. They had been ferrying a high dollar FTA back and the plane was still at the airport. It was supposed to fly back tomorrow. He told them to get it ready for a Bomber rescue. He told them to dress appropriately. He would call back with more details.

By now, Les and Bobby were in the office. They had been asleep, but that innate ability of soldiers to go from stand down to operation ready was going to be useful now. Tank had already called for the helicopter. As part of the operation, Ranger had any mode of transportation available by the FBI at a moment's notice, and they were taking full advantage of it now. Swiftly, the three headed to the weapons room. They were unsure what they were up against so loaded up accordingly. Bobby already had his field pack. By the time they got to the roof, the helicopter was already preparing to land. They hopped in. Giving the directions quickly, they were off.

Ranger, along with Ram and Woody stood in the parking lot. The car door was open. The bottle with hopefully some fingerprints was in an evidence box.

Ranger was talking to another FBI agent. He had driven up from Lexington and had just arrived. It looked like there might be another potential victim. Ranger was in hunting mode. He had to find his Babe.

He blamed himself that he had accidently put her in harms way. He had to find her.

He had spoken to Tank and they had a rough area where the tracker was sounding. They would have to do some groundwork. Swiftly, he barked orders, Time was of the essence. If this scumbag had Stephanie, she was in real danger.

At the same time, if he harmed even one hair on her curly head, he was in serious danger.


	12. Chapter 12

**If you recognize them, they belong to Janet Evanovich**

Escape

Stephanie started to move her hands back and forth. Whoever this guy was, he had used old rope and it had lost a lot of its integrity. Slowly she worked it looser and looser. Her wrists were raw from the movements. Finally, she was able to free her hands and then her feet.

Tiptoeing to the door, she put her ear to the lock. She could hear a tv in the background. Stephanie backed away. She had heard the lock engage. Looking around the room, she noticed that there was no window. She would be going out that door, and she wanted it to be on her terms.

Walking around the room carefully she noticed remnants of a bed frame leaning again the wall. Something here would probably make a good weapon. She also took stock of the jars on the walls. She was looking for something in a jar that would make footing difficult. She found some jars with a reddish sauce. It almost looked like spaghetti sauce. It would have to do. She pulled them down and very quietly opened them. The seals broke with a snap. Stephanie thought it sounded very loud against her beating heart, but whoever was out there didn't appear to hear anything. Quickly she poured the gooey mess near the door and along the floor. Taking the piece of bedframe, she positioned herself by the door and waited.

The tv turned off. There was an excited giggle from the other side of the door. Stephanie shuddered. This scumbag was going to get what he deserved. She hadn't thought anything past putting him in a world of hurt.

The lock turned, the door opened and he stood in the doorway. He had to come into the room to look where she had been lying. He took one step in, then another. Stephanie swung the metal with all her might. It would have been a home run swing if she had been playing baseball. It caught him square in the upper chest and he staggered back. His feet flew out from under him and he crashed to the floor. Stephanie now raised the pipe over her head and swung at him again with all her might. The pipe slammed into him by his ear. He lay unmoving on the floor. He was covered in red sauce mixed with blood. Stephanie stepped around him. She wanted out.

Wrenching the front door open, she ran into the early morning light. She had no idea where she was. She ran to her car. The keys were not in the ignition. Stephanie was not going to go back into that house looking for them. She had no idea where her coat was but it was cold out. She looked around. Then she took off down the trail. All that training in the hotel gyms was coming in handy. Her stride smoothed out. She noticed that the road was not well travelled. Vegetation was growing up between the tracks. Jogging at a steady pace, she ran down the road.

She kept her ears open hoping to hear a highway nearby, or some sounds that would lead her to someone who would help. Suddenly she heard a car coming up behind her. She dived into the bushes on the side of the road. Her car with the man sitting in it sped by. He had blood down his face. He was looking neither right nor left. It looked like he was trying to escape. She stayed in the bushes for a few minutes. Then she scrambled back onto the road and started to run again. Her breath began to sound ragged. She started to tire. The adrenaline in her body was starting to dissipate and she had a real feeling of weakness. Finally stopping, she bent over. Her sides were hurting from the strain. Her chest hurt from the stress. She looked forward. There was still a lot of road to travel. She started to walk. If she quit now, she might curl up in a tight ball and delay her rescue. She could see her breath. She was getting chilled.

~~~o0o~~~

Tank was in the air. He was in communication with Ranger. Boston was on their way. They had a team of eight in the plane. They had loaded four quads in the hold just in case. He thanked the quick thinking men. They would land at the private airstrip in Florence and consider their next moves. Ranger, Ram and Woody would meet them there. Tank received a call from Trenton. Their signal on Stephanie's tracker was getting stronger. They were getting a signal that it was moving. It wasn't much. Quickly he appraised Ranger of the situation. Ranger and Ram jumped into th and sped off. Woody stayed with the FBI agent. Ranger was now on the phone with Trenton. He headed his truck down I 70. The tracker showed nearing Columbus. Ranger phoned back to the agent. He arranged for the police to stop the vehicle just outside the city.

Coming up to the edge of town, Ranger spied Stephanie's rental car on the side of the road. It was surrounded by State Police cars and a man was in handcuffs being led to the back of a patrol car. Ranger and Ram jumped out of the truck.

The sudden movement took the police by surprise and they found themselves with guns pointed at them. Stopping, and putting his hands up, Ranger asked for the senior staff on hand. A Staff Sergeant came forward. Ranger explained that he was working with the FBI and the man they had in handcuffs was suspected of at least one abduction, and possibly tied into a number of sexual assaults and murders. The sergeants eyes hardened and he walked over to the car. Speaking quietly to the arresting officers, he explained the situation.

Ranger asked if they had found a purse in the car. He described it and said that there was a tracker in it. An officer checked around the inside of the car. He found a coat thrown in the back and a handbag under the front seat. Ranger described the wallet contents and Stephanie's name and ID. He described the pen that was a tracker. The sergeant pulled it out of the bag.

They were still standing with him in cuffs. Ranger walked over to him. His voice was hard and threatening "Where did you stash the girl?

The man laughed. "She was feisty. I had a good time with that one. You'll never find her body." Ram dragged Ranger away from him. Two officers put the suspect into the car and slammed the door. Ranger hoped that he had at least one tripping incident on the way to the precinct.

Ram dragged Ranger back to the truck and put him in the passenger seat. He was on the phone to Woody. Woody passed on the information to the agent. They promised to get a team to the station as soon as possible.

The case might be wrapped up. It had been a long investigation. He spoke to Ram again. Ram described the conversation. His hand on the cellphone turned white with tension. He could hear the plastic complain. Backing off the pressure, Ram controlled his emotions. The Bomber was made of stern stuff. Until they found a body, they would assume that she was alive and well. The assailant could be making it up. He was covered in blood, so it was assumed that she had had at least one chance to hit him to protect herself. She had been getting better in self defense training.

Ram hoped it was enough.

~~~o0o~~~

Manny phoned Ranger. He was temporarily assigned to Boston to train new employees and was on the plane. He was the one to suggest the quads. They were on final approach to the tiny airport. By the time Ranger and Ram got there, they would be unloaded and ready to leave. They had a general direction where the car had been. They would try that area first. Every man was ready. The scumbag may have been caught but wifey was still missing. They were all expert trackers and would do everything they could to find her. Silently every man sent a prayer heavenward that she would be found alive.

Tank was at the airport. He was barking orders. He had arranged for trucks and ramps. The quads were being loaded as he spied Ranger's truck racing down the road. He had already set up a command post and Bobby was standing ready. He had a full medical field pack. He was unsure what condition Stephanie would be in, but he was in medic mode and was preparing for the worst. Manny and his team were ready. Quickly they divided up the areas for search. The trucks sped out. Everyone had a job. This is what they practiced for. The unknown was the hardest to fathom. Ranger and Tank hopped in the 4 x 4. They could travel over a lot of terrain with the off road capability.

~~~o0o~~~

Lula knew something was up. Any time Tank raced out like that, it usually had something to do with Stephanie. She waited impatiently for Tank's call. He would let her know what was happening when he could. She said a little prayer for the safety of everyone. She suspected that there was some wrinkle in Ranger's mission that took Stephanie away so suddenly. She knew that her friend had not planned on leaving so soon. She had not seen her Grandma Mazur! Those two had such a good relationship with each other. With age, Stephanie might just turn out like Edna. Life would be interesting!

**Author's Note - I loosely patterned this man after Theodore Robert Cowell (Ted Bundy). **


	13. Chapter 13

**I make no money from this, only enjoyment. All recognizable characters belong to Janet**

Found

Stephanie was losing her focus. She had continued along the road until it came to a fork. She had looked at both possibilities. There were tire tracks going both directions. She chose right, with no logic attached to that. Her judgement was starting to be impaired. Hoping that the trail did not lead in a circle, she ripped her right sleeve off her shirt and tied it to a branch. She continued on. She came to another fork. She took off her left sleeve and tied it to a tree. She chose right again. She was getting very thirsty and her stomach growled.

She sat down in the middle of the road. There had not been any tire track traffic for some time and the trail she was on seemed even more overgrown. Stephanie stood up, turned around and started back. She came to the fork and this time took the left trail. She was getting tired. It was now mid afternoon. The sun was warmer. Her face was swollen and she was having trouble seeing through puffy eyelids.

She didn't feel cold anymore. She put one foot in front of the other. Mile after mile she plodded along. She had stopped looking for tire tracks. She was just hoping that the trail would lead her somewhere she could get help. Finally, she could go no further. She slumped to the ground and leaned against a large tree. She would rest for awhile and then continue. She fell asleep with thoughts of Ranger. She sent a message from her heart to his.

The men had spread out. They had systematically checked each search square with nothing to show for their efforts. Finally, one group in a truck struck paydirt. They came upon an abandoned cabin. Taking extreme care, they checked the perimeter for danger. There appeared to be no movement or hazards. Guns drawn they opened the door. It looked like there had been someone there recently. One man stayed outside and the other moved into the house. He came out. Signalling to get on the phone, he reported that he thought that they had found the place Stephanie had been taken to. A scrunchie was on the floor by the mattress. There was some strange liquid on the floor and what looked like a weapon with blood on it on the ground by the door of the room. A call went into the command post. They had their first clue.

Quickly, Bones co-ordinated the search teams again. He pulled off the groups far away from the new evidence and sent them onto a new search grid. Trucks raced along trails, and quads travelled cross country searching. Ted and George, the men who had found the cabin, thought that there were footprints about Stephanie's size moving down the trail away from the cabin, but the tracks were partially obliterated by the car tracks. Taking the road on foot, with one driving behind, they followed the tracks. By now , more vehicles were in the area.

One group found the rag on the tree. Once again, Bones re-co-ordinated the search area, condensing it down even more. Another group found the other sleeve. The men were intense. She had been out for quite some time. She was still mobile, but her footprints were starting to have a wobbly look, weaving back and forth on the path. They suspected that she was reaching her exhaustion point. They called in the new information.

Ranger and Tank came to the fork. Ranger hopped out and checked the footprints. His mouth tightened. He too suspected that Stephanie was in medical distress. They clamored back into the truck. They didn't want to take a chance of going too fast and missing her, so they crept along the road. Coming over a slight hill, Tank was the first to see her leaning against a tree. He shouted to Ranger. Tank immediately got on the phone and requested Bobby's position. Bobby came on. He was in a truck about fifteen minutes away. Tank told him to hurry.

Ranger screamed to a halt by Stephanie and jumped out. He raced to her and dropped to his knees. She was unconscious. He checked her pulse. It was very slow and thready. Picking her up he carried her to the truck.

Tank had changed positions and was now in the driver's seat. He had turned the truck around and Ranger with Stephanie in his arms, climbed into the back seat. They raced back down the road. Bones had been advised and was calling in all the teams. He was requesting a helicopter to a clearing not far down the road.

Bobby came racing up the road. He hopped out of the truck and ran to the 4 x 4. He climbed into the rear passenger seat. Ranger continued to hold her as Bobby performed a quick examination. He put in an IV line. Her skin was cold and clammy. She was severely dehydrated. He had a blood pressure cuff on her arm. She was wrapped in an emergency blanket to conserve what heat she had. Ranger was holding her tightly to him.

Her head lay against his shoulder. He put his cheek to her head. She was so cold. His heart clenched in fear. Looking at Tank through the rear view mirror, Bobby mouthed, GO. Tank needed no other command. He raced down the road and came to the clearing. The helicopter was just coming into view. Quickly, they unloaded and raced to the chopper. The blades never even had time to slow down. The pilot lifted into the air and sped away to Lexington General. They had a helipad on the roof.

The pilot radioed ahead with details of the emergency and there was a team standing by as they landed. Stephanie was whisked away on a gurney with Ranger by her side. Bobby followed.

Back at the command post, everyone tried to stay positive. The Bomber was alive and hopefully they had found her in time. The men proceeded to pack up their equipment. Bones advised the offices that she was found. He updated them on her condition .

They had done all they could. It was now in the hands of the medical staff.

Tank took over dealing with the authorities. He was in contact with Ranger's FBI contact. It was Gerry Keepner who was in custody. The fingerprints on the bottle matched the fingerprints from other crime scenes. The case would be thoroughly examined, but it appeared that they had found their man.

Somehow, Stephanie had stumbled into the next crime scene. Ranger, Woody and Ram had just completed their mission. They could go home.


	14. Chapter 14

**You own the characters, Janet**

Homecoming

Shit, she was in a hospital again. Stephanie slowly opened her eyes. As long as she lived, she would hate the sound of that damn beep, beep, beeping of the heart monitor machine.

She could feel Ranger holding her hand. He shifted in the chair. He knew that she was re-gaining consciousness. She smiled up at him. He heaved a sigh of relief. She would be OK.

He had talked to the doctor and he thought that she could go home in a day or so. Ranger already knew that she would be petitioning the doctor to let her go sooner. He could already hear her arguments. Bobby could look after her. Yes, she felt fine. Yes, she had people who could keep an eye on her. Yes, she would take it easy for awhile. Yes, she would drink plenty of fluids. The excuses would go on and on. Eventually she would wear down all his arguments. Ranger smiled.

Stephanie managed to charm the doctor into letting her go. She promised all the things that he wanted her to do. She looked at Ranger with a smile of triumph. She had things to do. She had to get ready for her next Open House.

Ranger had arranged for the plane to fly to Lexington. It was only a few miles, but just the thought of driving to the airport in Florence made the whole decision easy. The men would load up in Florence, then fly to Lexington and pick up Ranger, Bobby and Stephanie, take the group back to Boston and then fly on to Newark. He told Tank to make the arrangements. Tank would co-ordinate everything.

Leaving the details to him to finalize, he and Bobby listened as the doctor gave his final instructions. Bobby was marking it all down dutifully, even though he was very familiar with treating the Bomber. She had grudgingly agreed that she would stay at Rangeman until she was cleared by Bobby. Ranger had made that stipulation or she would remain in the hospital. Stephanie stuck her tongue out at him. He smiled at her with his 100 watt smile. Two could play that game.

Matthew had been contacted and he was flying in and taking the Open House at Lexington.

A Merry Man had already checked Stephanie out of her hotel and cleared the room in Florence. Another Merry Man had returned the rental car. The State Police had visited Stephanie in the hospital for her statement.

She was relieved that her attacker would not be granted bail. She hoped that he would plead guilty to all the murders and the attempted murder. It appeared that he would never see the light of day again. Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Florida still had a Death Penalty. They were all clamoring to have first crack at Gerry Keepner.

The District Attorneys were scrambling to prepare their cases. The evidence was piling up. Stephanie hated that another life might be taken, but in this case she felt no remorse if he was convicted.

The plane had arrived. Eric was flying her. He greeted Stephanie with a great big bear hug, while trying not to endanger his own life at the hands of Ranger. Stephanie walked onto the plane. She sank gratefully in one of the plush seats. Ranger covered her with a blanket and she was asleep before the wheels left the ground.

The flight to Boston was uneventful. The men had unloaded the plane. Stephanie was now awake and personally thanked them for helping to find her. Manny gave her a great big hug. "Gee, wifey, you sure know how to scare a guy!" Ranger growled. Manny ignored him.

He was safe in Boston for awhile. He hoped that Ranger would be calm by the time he arrived back in Trenton. He figured that he needed to stay in Boston at least another month.

The plane lifted off again and headed for Newark. At the airport, there was a fleet of vehicles waiting for them. Ranger gently took Stephanie's hand and guided her to the Cayenne. She sank down gratefully in the soft leather seat. He guided the car to Rangeman. Pulling into the garage, she watched as the other vehicles disgorged their occupants. Once again, she thanked the men for all their help.

Mindful of Ranger, they smiled and congratulated her on her resoursefullness. What she lacked in knowledge she made up for with grit. Ranger called for the elevator. Looking at her, he asked her where she planned on staying, the medical suite on four or on seven. Stephanie thought of the thousand count sheets on Rangers bed, Ranger in that bed, and Ella. "If you don't mind sharing, could I stay on seven?" Ranger smiled.

He escorted her to seven. Ella had already been in. There was a series of delicious foods sitting under covers on the counter. Stephanie, being above all else curious, lifted the lids. There was fettuccine alfredo, chicken salad, stir fried vegetables, and chocolate cake. Her mouth watered. Ranger laughed.

Only Stephanie would take food over sleep. She dug in. He sat down across from her andpicked at his food. She moaned with pleasure. He shifted uncomfortably. Finally full, she pushed the food away from her. She headed to the bedroom. The shower was calling her.

She looked at Ranger. She crooked a finger in his direction. Not taking no for an answer, she grabbed his hand and led him to the shower.

The water was turned on. He stepped in with her. He used all his resolve not to make any sexual overtures, but she was not a woman to be denied. She lathered him. She moaned as he softly rubbed the shower gel up and down her body. He washed her hair, massaging her scalp with his strong and powerful fingers. He kissed her everywhere. They embraced. Once again, one of them had been in danger and had survived the experience.

She was fading fast. Ranger picked her up and gently set her on the bed. He strode to his closet and brought back one of his black t shirts. Tiredly she lifted her arms and he slid it on. He had put on his silk boxers. He helped her into bed and climbed in beside her. She snuggled into his chest. He smiled. Sleep came quickly. They had both had long days.

Tank walked quietly into his bedroom. He was tired. Lula moaned with happiness as he slid in beside her. He put his hand on his wife's extended belly. He whispered a hello to the three of them. Sleep came quickly for the daddy-to-be.

Morning came. Stephanie woke up splayed over Ranger's chest. Her hair was a tangle of curls. Ranger watched as she came to fully awake. She responded as his hand played with her hair. She shivered with excitement as he kissed her behind her ear. She gently racked a fingernail over his sculptured chest. He sucked in his breath. Her fingernails gliding over his chest brought him to attention every time.

He asked permission with his eyes and she nodded. They embraced. They kissed, They touched, and they fondled. Time passed. Their bodies were sated and they were exhausted.

Ranger reached over his Babe as his phone rang. It was Bobby. He was asking when he should come up and check her over. Ranger was diplomatic but firm. He would have her call. She was sleeping. Bobby grunted. "The doctor said plenty of rest. Rest, Ranger!" Ranger laughed and hung up.

Stephanie finally roused. She groaned as she headed to the bathroom to conduct her business. The shower turned on. Ranger could hear her in the shower. She was humming the song he had sung to her. Her voice was beautiful. He had never asked if she sung. He decided to let her shower without his help.

Stephanie finished in the bathroom. She had not taken too much time with her hair and it was all caught up in a scrunchie. She was wearing a comfortable t shirt and jeans. Her feet were in sandals. She still had clothes in his closet after all this time.

The first order of business was to finish planning Lula's party. She needed Ranger's help. He laughed as she explained her plan. He would be more than willing to help. Next she called Tank. He was already downstairs. She mentioned that she was on her way down and would like to talk to him. Next she called Connie. Connie answered and assured her that everything was planned. Lula would love it.

Then she called Matthew. She apologized for calling him away to take on the Open House. He assured her that he had enjoyed the experience. She had emailed her acceptance of the purchase price. He said that he used the show as a final farewell. He had assured the customers and potential customers that she would be a very competent replacement and he had the utmost confidence in her ability to expand the company he had inherited and looked after for so many years.

Tank was in his office. Stephanie and Ranger stepped in. They closed the door. Gales of laughter could be heard in the room. The men on five could hear the laughter on the whole floor. Tank assured her that her wishes would be accommodated. He knew that Lula would get a charge out of it.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry I kept them this long Janet, you can have them back**

Someday

Tank was taking the morning meeting. Ranger stood by the door with his arms crossed over his chest. Tank was having way too much fun with this detail. Calling for attention, he announced that the following men were to meet in the garage at 1300. They were to be casually dressed. It was a special detail. He read the names. Junior, Manny (who had been summoned specially from Boston), Bobby, Cal, Caesar, Greco, Ram, Woody and Hal.

Stephanie was conspicuously absent from the meeting. She had wanted to come. Ranger knew that she would never have kept a straight face and forbade her from attending. She was sulking at her former cubicle as they filed out. She finished with some searches she was helping with to pass the time. She did not work there anymore, but was trying to help out to thank everyone for saving her once again. Packing up, she made a big production of leaving. The men were used to her coming and going and took no notice.

Stephanie found Ella in her suite. They sat down with a cup of coffee. It had been many months ago that they had done the same thing. Stephanie had poured out her concerns about her relationship with Ranger and whether it would ever go any further. She wanted a commitment of some kind.

Taking Ella into her confidence, she had asked whether she thought they had a chance. Ella had pointed out that Ranger was giving her all that he was capable of giving. His life had been full of danger, and excitement, and uncertainty most of his life and he thrived on that way of life. Asking him to drop all that he knew and loved was being as unfair to him as much as he was being unfair to her.

Ella waited patiently. Was this the end? Stephanie had a new confidence about her. She was now her own woman. She would do well in the business world. At the same time, was she willing to make room in her new life for Ranger? The traditional family unit would never work for those two. They could have their own worlds and share each others. Neither of them wanted a traditional partnership. Maybe that would work. It was not for everyone, but Stephanie and Ranger were not everyone. They suited each other so well. Time would tell.

She left the suite and headed for her car in the garage. She had grudgingly accepted her key fob back from Ranger. Letting herself out of the garage she headed to Tanks house to visit with Lula. Lula was even bigger than the last time she had been there. She was getting very cranky about the wait. She was hoping the babies would be born soon.

Everything was ready. They had hired a nanny and she was already at work. They had extended Delilah's contract. Each of the ladies was knowledgeable about the baby shower for that afternoon. They had the food ready, the crazy party games people play, and a place to hide the entertainment.

Two o'clock came. The guests started to arrive. Grandma Mazur had come with Valerie and Connie. Edna copped a feel on Manny on her way in. He jumped and swore softly. The other men kept their distance. These ladies were crazy. They were having way too much fun. It looked like they had started the party early. More and more ladies showed up. Hungrily they looked at the men. Giggles were stifled behind hands. The men blushed. Hal, Greco, Manny and Cal offered to walk the grounds. It felt safer out in the open. Ram, Woody, Bobby and Caesar groaned.

The guests finally trooped up to the bedroom. Lula was flabbergasted. She started to cry. Everyone had brought balloons, streamers and presents. They decorated the room and dug into the food. They laughed, they cried, they played games.

Finally, Stephanie cleared her throat. Looking at Lula, she said, "Lula, we love you so much that we brought you some entertainment. We hope you like it." She opened the door. She motioned, then motioned again. She stamped her foot. Finally, two people came into the room. The ladies roared their approval. Woody and Ram were dressed in their Pinky's Bar uniforms. The ladies pulled out their cameras and started to snap pictures. They took pictures of each of them with Lula, with each other, and with Stephanie. Ram and Woody looked daggers at her. If Ranger wouldn't kill them first, they would plan on getting Stephanie back for this.

Somehow she had taken pictures that night and sent them to Tank on his personal account. Back at Rangeman, pictures of them in the bar showed up on monitors, on desks, in the break room, the gym, the locker room, and in the vehicles. They were seriously thinking of asking for a transfer until they heard that the pictures were at the other locations too. They hoped that they might be called for a mission soon. They needed some time away for the men to forget. Stephanie smiled at them sweetly.

Bobby was downstairs. Since she was so close to her delivery date, they didn't want the excitement to be too much for her. He kept an eye on Lula throughout the party. She was enjoying every minute. Finally, everyone packed up and began to leave. They gave Lula a hug. Laughing at the fun afternoon, they trooped down the stairs and headed to their homes.

Lula sighed with happiness. What a day. She was tired, but in a good way. Stephanie was sitting on the bed with her. They were re-living the party.

All of a sudden, Lula stopped talking. Her face contorted slightly. Stephanie noticed the change. She quickly got off the bed, opened the door and called for Bobby. He raced up the stairs. One look at her and he opened his bag. He took out his blood pressure cuff and put it on her. He felt her belly. He turned to Stephanie and quietly asked her to call Tank. He needed him home now.

Tank answered on the first ring. He had just finished hearing details of the party from the men. He closed the phone and jumped up. Ranger noticed the change. Racing his friend down the stairs they jumped into the Hummer. Ranger took the wheel.

Driving down the road, Ranger listened as Tank stammered out all his fears. He was worried for Lula. She was almost 40. He worried that the babies were in danger. He worried that he would not be a good dad. He worried that if something happened to him, that Lula and the boys would not be left alone. He made Ranger promise that they would be taken care of. He babbled all the way home. Ranger let him talk. He needed to vent now so that when he was with Lula he could be calm.

He waited in the truck and Tank raced into the house. A few minutes later, Tank, Lula, Bobby and Stephanie came out the door. Tank, Lula and Bobby climbed into the back seat and Stephanie jumped into the front.

There were a couple of Rangeman vehicles waiting to provide an escort. Ranger carefully drove to the hospital trying not to jar Lula too much. Bobby had already called the hospital that they were on the way. Lula was high risk and the suite was being prepared. The doctors and nurses were ready. They ushered Tank and Lula in. Ranger, Stephanie and Bobby stayed in the waiting room.

Off duty members of Rangeman arrived. They filled the room. Ranger and Stephanie sat in a corner watching the commotion. This was a happy occasion. Other times when Rangeman was occupying a waiting room, there was usually an injury. Hopefully all would turn out and Tank and Lula would be parents soon. Nobody knew if they had chosen names for the babies yet. It would be a mystery until they made an appearance.

Ranger stood up. He pulled Stephanie to her feet. They walked out of the room. It was time for that talk. They walked out of the hospital. There was a little pond on the grounds with some park benches near.

Ranger guided Stephanie to an empty bench. They sat and silently watched the koi swim lazily past them. Ranger was holding her hand. His thumb rubbed lazily over the top. He was silent. Stephanie looked at him. Not many times had she seen so much emotion on his face. He was usually the master of control.

Finally, Ranger spoke. "Babe, I do love you. I think that I fell in love the first time I saw you in that diner. Every time something happened to you, my heart clenched in fear. I have gone into battle, into invasions, or into situations where I was unsure of my own survival and felt less fear. At the same time, when I see you laugh, see you cry, see you show compassion, my heart swells with love. "

Stephanie looked at Ranger. She took his hand in both of hers. She spoke. "Ranger. I love you with all my heart. I think I also fell in love the day we met in the diner. I took advantage of you with all my mishaps, my abductions, my stalkers, my destroyed cars and apartment. I never realized how many times you dropped everything to check on me. I got your Merry Men injured with my impulsive actions. I have been unfair to you. I put pressure on you that day I gave you that ring. I was forcing you to choose between Rangeman, your friends, and your life, for me. A very good friend pointed out that I was , in fact, being unfair to you. I intruded in your life and expected you to change everything for me while I changed nothing for you."

Ranger sighed. He leaned over and put his forehead against Stephanie's. "We are a pair, Babe." Stephanie smiled. She stood up. She pulled Ranger to his feet. She put her arms around his neck and softly kissed him on the lips. Taking his hand, they walked down the path. It was a start. They headed back to the waiting room.

Tank, dressed in a massive hospital gown, walked into the waiting room. In one arm was one baby boy. In the other arm was another. They were bundled in blue blankets with blue bonnets on their heads. They were both big, black and very cute. Tank had tears streaming down his cheeks. He proudly introduced his sons. Everyone crowded around. Some even ventured to hold the bundles of joy. The little ones were identical. Tank showed them that one baby had a blue bracelet and one had a purple bracelet on their arms. He threatened that if anyone tried to take them off or switch them, they would be on a one way trip somewhere awful.

He brought one of the babies to Ranger. He held him out. Ranger looked at Tank. He nodded. He held out his arms and held little Thomas Ricardo. TR looked up at Ranger. Ranger tucked the baby in the crook of one arm and shook Tank's hand. "Congratulations, man. You did good. How is Lula?" Tank puffed his chest out with pride. "She came through like the champion she is. She is tired, and very happy it is over."

Stephanie walked out the door. She headed for Lula's room. Cal and Caesar were guarding the door. Stephanie slipped in and walked to the bed. Lula opened her eyes. Stephanie was crying tears of happiness. She hugged Lula. She and Lula laughed at her much smaller but flabby tummy. Stephanie congratulated her on her two beautiful sons. Just then, Tank and Ranger walked in. Each had a baby in their arms. Ranger came over and gave Lula a kiss on the cheek. He congratulated the new mom.

Two nurses came into the room with bassinets. They took the babies from the men and putting them in the bassinets, wheeled them out the door. It was time for another check. Tank and Lula's lives would be very different now.

Ranger and Stephanie could see Lula was tiring. They congratulated the new parents and prepared to leave. Stephanie hugged Tank again. Then she hugged Lula. "I have to leave tomorrow. I'll be back in a couple of weeks. I want pictures."

Stephanie and Ranger left the room. They walked down the hall. Coming out of the hospital they saw the Cayenne sitting waiting for them at the front door. Ranger opened the door and helped Stephanie into the seat. He put the seatbelt over her. He gave her a kiss on the lips. Closing the passenger door, he ran around to the driver's door. He hopped in. Starting up the car he looked at her. "Where to, Babe?"

Stephanie smiled. She finally realized that she was home. Home was wherever Ranger was. They were already in a relationship.

Ella was right. They both had been giving each other all that they were capable of giving. She believed now that they were already living their Someday. Now they both had lives that took them away from each other for periods of time. They also had lives that were inexplicably entwined with each other when they were together. Neither of them were anywhere near traditional. They didn't need rings and vows. Neither of them wanted marriage or families.

Stephanie sighed. Hmm, Point Pleasant sounded nice. They could walk on the beach. They could ...

**This has been quite the journey. Married was my first story written and posted on fan fiction. I wrote that first chapter planning that it would be a one-shot. I had ticked off a line on my Bucket List. **

**I had so many people ask for more that I looked at it again and wrote more. I have been hounded for a sequel and finally here it is. Hope you like it. **

**Myrna**

**I will be taking a break from writing. It is now fall and I am coaching a number of teams. Hopefully when my schedule lightens, I will be back. It has been a pleasure doing this. I really appreciated all the reviews and personal messages. I will miss this. It was hard work, but lots of fun too. Myrna**


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